Going Green Remodeling

[missmanors]

With the soaring cost of energy plus global warming on the minds of Americans, going green is the way of remodeling these days. More and more companies are offering "green" products to help those of us that are remodeling, get the job done while keeping the earth safe for future generations and also to help us keep our energy bills at an affordable level.

There are sealants and adhesives which now are not so hazardous as they were in days gone by and still do the job they were meant to do, and insulations which will slash the cost of energy to heat and cool your home (savings? up to 50%).

Baby boomers are helping to care for their elderly parents now, and are finding solutions that could help them in their own homes in the future when they can no longer climb the stairs, or feel safe climbing into and out of the bathtub. In the light of this, companies are offering stylish bathtubs with doors and wheelchair roll-in showers that are accessible for everyone. These systems are backed by plywood which is thick enough that grab bars can be installed without needing any extra reinforcement. There are also barrier-free showers which have a half-height shower door which allows a caregiver to help to bathe a person.

Also being offered are new things for the outside of the home, as decks, porches and terraces are the new "rooms" that are being decorated. There are new wood products on the market in which the wood is infused with a bio-based liquid made from agricultural waste which results in a stronger and more stable version of the wood but also retains its natural grain. This product takes the softness of pine up to the hardness of oak, says one expert. This wood also wards off termites better than poison-treated wood.

Also some new products that can help ward off a chill, as electric underfloor mats which are mats which have heating coils woven into them and are regulated by a floor sensor, which can be turned on or shut off at any time.
These mats run about $800 and up and cost on average about 10 cents per day to operate.